FreeSports will once again be showing live Elite Ice Hockey League and Cup games during the 2019/20 season.
The free-to-air channel began showing the EIHL last season, and after a successful experience for both the broadcaster and the league, we are pleased to confirm that 17 games will be shown live during the new season.
“We can’t wait to get started with the new hockey season on FreeSports. It’s an exciting time with Sky UK viewers now able to see the games in HD as well!” said commentator Aaron Murphy. “After a thrilling journey last year, we’re hoping that this season will be even better. And on the back of two EIHL teams being shown live in the CHL too, there’s plenty of coverage on FreeSports. There’s so much to look forward to, and I’m delighted to present the broadcasts again with Paul Adey and Chris Ellis to even more viewers in the UK.”
“We’re delighted that Elite League games will be shown again live on FreeSports this season, and we look forward to exciting matches going live into people’s homes across the country. As before, there had to be suitability from the venues and the teams, and also for FreeSports themselves, when it came to choosing games for TV,” explained League Chairman Tony Smith. “The games we’ve selected for live broadcast reflect the factors that needed to be considered for the benefit of all involved. I would like to thank Richard Webb and everyone at FreeSports for their support, and I’m looking forward to working with them again this season.”
FreeSports’ will begin their live EIHL coverage from October. Each week when there is no live EIHL game, FreeSports will instead broadcast a highlights show. The schedule is as follows:
Wednesday 30 October
7pm on air, 7:30 faceoff – Fife Flyers vs. Belfast Giants
Wednesday 13 November
7pm on air, 7:30 faceoff – Glasgow Clan vs. Cardiff Devils
Wednesday 20 November
7pm on air, 7:30 faceoff Challenge Cup ‘Play-In’ round – Coventry vs. Manchester
Wednesday 27 November
7pm on air, 7:30 faceoff – Sheffield Steelers vs. Belfast Giants
Wednesday 11 December
7pm on air, 7:30 faceoff Challenge Cup Quarter-Final 1st Leg – Belfast vs. Cardiff
Wednesday 18 December
7pm on air, 7:30 faceoff Challenge Cup Quarter-Final 2nd Leg – Cardiff vs. Belfast
Tuesday 31 December
3:30pm on air, 4pm faceoff – Nottingham Panthers vs. Sheffield Steelers
Wednesday 15 January
7pm on air, 7:30 faceoff, Challenge Cup Semi-Final First Leg – Glasgow vs. Sheffield
Friday 24 January
7pm on air, 7:30 faceoff – Dundee Stars vs. Glasgow Clan
Wednesday 29 January
7pm on air, 7:30 faceoff, Challenge Cup Semi-Final Second Leg – Nottingham vs. Cardiff
Wednesday 19 February
7pm on air, 7:30 faceoff – Cardiff Devils vs. Fife Flyers
Sunday 8 March
3:30pm on air, 4pm faceoff, Challenge Cup Final – Sheffield vs. Cardiff
Wednesday 18 March
7pm on air, 7:30 faceoff – Cardiff Devils vs. Coventry Blaze
Sunday 29 March
1800 One of the final day fixtures
FreeSports will also show a Playoff First Leg, Playoff Second Leg and the Playoff Final.
Champions Hockey League
As well as the EIHL, Belfast Giants’ & Cardiff Devils’ Champions Hockey League games, which begin on 29 and 30 August respectively, will be shown in the UK exclusively on FreeSports. The channel will also cover the competitions as it extends beyond the group stage.
ABOUT FREESPORTS
FreeSports is currently available via Freeview (64), Sky (422), Virgin (553) FreeSat (252), TalkTalk (64), BT Vision (64) and online via the TVPlayer.
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